adjective / noun HSK 5
zhēn
precious · rare · treasure · to treasure

Meaning

means precious, rare, or valuable. It describes things that are treasured or hard to obtain. As a noun, it can refer to treasures or delicacies. The character is commonly seen in compound words related to valuing, cherishing, or describing rare and precious items.

Usage

is typically used in formal or literary contexts and appears more often in compound words than alone. Common in expressions about treasuring relationships, rare foods, or valuable objects. When describing food, often indicates delicacies or rare ingredients.

Examples

  1. 01
    我们要惜彼此的友谊。
    men yào zhēn de yǒu .
    We should treasure our friendship with each other.
  2. 02
    这些照片对我来说非常贵。
    Zhè xiē zhào piàn duì lái shuō fēi cháng zhēn guì.
    These photos are very precious to me.

Common collocations

  • 惜时间
    zhēn shí jiān
    to treasure time
  • 贵的礼物
    zhēn guì de
    precious gift
  • zhēn zhū
    pearl
  • 稀动物
    zhēn dòng
    rare animals

Antonyms

Origin

The character combines the jade radical 王 (玉) on the left with 㐱 on the right. The jade component suggests something valuable, as jade has been highly prized in Chinese culture for millennia.

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